First brush re-knots...Hey, this is pretty simple!

After tinkering with straights for a bit it occurred to me I should do some brushes to experience the joy of a whole new set of complications :)

Sadly mistaken was I, when I discovered the whole process to be dead simple and very "nuts and bolts". The trick seems to be extracting the old cruddy knot without destroying what may be a fragile old brush. Easily managed with a little care.

As I'm a bowl latherer, I sought out a few old nice long handled brushes. Gutted them according to procedures gleaned from this forum, cleaned them up and epoxied in new knots from TGN. A piece of cake.

Anyone who's looking for a fun way to get a bit more hands-on with their hobby is going to find this a relatively inexpensive (I've got about 19 bucks into that C-Mon), simple and rewarding way to do so.

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Good work, Mike! They look fabulous! I like restoring old brushes as well. Only issues I come across sometimes is getting the knots down low enough to my specs. I have a few which I reknotted that have o-rings at the handle to accomplish it, but there are some lower-loft knots I may try if I do another. You did good!

Lookin good!!! :nj:nj

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

Good work, Mike! They look fabulous! I like restoring old brushes as well. Only issues I come across sometimes is getting the knots down low enough to my specs. I have a few which I reknotted that have o-rings at the handle to accomplish it, but there are some lower-loft knots I may try if I do another. You did good!

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As I'd pretty thoroughly gutted the cavity created by removing all the old epoxy and knot material, I did some shimming with some wooden nickle type slugs (various diameter sizes right next to the corks in the hardware section of my local Lowe's store) to get the height of the knots about where I wanted them. Flooded said cavity with epoxy upon setting the knot. Lots of it. Not quite overflowing the bounds of the brush wall. I pity the poor bastid who decides it's time to replace them in a 75 years or so.

Again, terribly painless and satisfying!

I've often considered it when looking at sad old brushes on evil bay. Perhaps I may join in on the festivities.

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I've often considered it when looking at sad old brushes on evil bay. Perhaps I may join in on the festivities.

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It really is quite easy getting the old knots out. If you can destroy things with a little finesse, the hardest part is done. One of my favorite brushes is a reknot, in a handle I paid $3 for with a budget no name, 2 band knot. I find myself using it more than my others that a worth far more.

RezDog, you could handle it no prob.

Lookin good there! It is satisfying, isn't it. So what's your trick to getting the knots out without damage to the handle? IME some come out easier than others. Some on the other hand can be a pain...

I do the cordless drill and a pair of pliers method. Cut the hairs off low, and start drilling. But don't go too deep, just want to break up that epoxy enough until you can pull it out. 10pups has a good vid on the tube on how to do it with a bench vice. It's a good vid. I believe it's called, "knot out, knot in."

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Originally Posted by RoyalCake

Lookin good there! It is satisfying, isn't it. So what's your trick to getting the knots out without damage to the handle? IME some come out easier than others. Some on the other hand can be a pain...

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As HARRYWALLY says, I didn't muck about with finesse. Cut the old bristles flat, and drilled three or four 3/16" holes down through the flush surface of the knot and just through the old epoxy. Commenced digging out guts with needle nose pliers and various scraping tools. Once the bulk of the old material was out, I used a Dremel with various attachments to extract the really stubborn chunks and then I kind of cleaned up and "uniformed" my newly made orifice. Gauged how far down into the brush I wanted to recess the knot, dremeled more where necessary, in two cases built the bottom of the inside of the orifice up with flat solid wooden washer "wood nickel" looking thingies I found at Lowes while on a quest for cork stoppers for some ED Pinaud bottles I'd just scored. Apply obscene amounts of epoxy just to the point of overflowing over the sides of my seated knot, made some mai fun, and they were ready to make lather.

Easy-Peasy!

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Originally Posted by RoyalCake

Lookin good there! It is satisfying, isn't it. So what's your trick to getting the knots out without damage to the handle? IME some come out easier than others. Some on the other hand can be a pain...

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Same here! Some have come out with ease by squeezing them in a vise but others are a pain!

Those very old handles did not have Epoxys,most were hide glues,easy to remove the knots by wrapping in tape and putting the knot in a vice.
I just finished reknotting 6 very old simpsons for a member,all were a PITA as Aliphetic glue was used (wood Glue) that required as above the cut and drill method as HW mentions.
Tho two part Epoxys are the adhiesive of choice for most brushmakers (qick, easy, almost failsafe)
Am going to look into using marine grade Aliphetics in the future,(the stuff hardens like iron and the remnants need to be removed with a dremal and carbide bits)
WHY,much to my Chagrin,a brush I sold to a member several mos back had an issue,The Knot fell out,have never heard of that happining before:)

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Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Am going to look into using marine grade Aliphetics in the future,(the stuff hardens like iron and the remnants need to be removed with a dremal and carbide bits)
WHY,much to my Chagrin,a brush I sold to a member several mos back had an issue,The Knot fell out,have never heard of that happining before:)

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I spent fifteen years working deck in the Navy. Some of the new two part epoxy paints/coverings/adhesives are just plain amazing. As you say, they're a lot like steel when set and cured, and could care naught about temperature or moisture.

I use Automotive Goop. Same as shoe goop, household goop. Done about 15 brushes. No mixing, no fuss, no mess. Takes a few days to set good, though. Never lost a knot yet! :D

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

I use Automotive Goop. Same as shoe goop, household goop. Done about 15 brushes. No mixing, no fuss, no mess. Takes a few days to set good, though. Never lost a knot yet! :D

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Only 15:)))))))))))))))))

Sigh....Yes, Bill! Only 15! :rofl2: